Florida state officials have agreed to pay $485,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a biologist who was fired for making critical comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk on social media.

Brittney Brown, who worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), was terminated in September after reposting content on her personal Instagram account that criticized Kirk. According to court documents, the post referenced Kirk in the context of children being shot in classrooms.

Brown filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement to her position, arguing that her termination violated her constitutional rights. In her legal filing, she stated that finding alternative employment became difficult because the FWC serves as the regulatory body overseeing her area of expertise in bird conservation research.

The settlement resolves the dispute between Brown and the state agency without admission of wrongdoing by either party. The case highlights ongoing tensions over government employees' social media activity and free speech rights in the workplace.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has not issued public statements regarding the settlement terms or any changes to social media policies for employees.